When he leaves I start with my plan to bust Teague’s balls right away. “What he hell, Teague? Quit acting like you’re too good for someone’s help.”
“I did what I did,” Teague says. “Maybe I should pay for it.”
“You didn’t kill him.”
“No. I almost did.”
“This again, Teague!” I snap. “Quit being such a martyr! You heard Vince, the cops know there was foul-play involved in the guy’s death. The only reason the cops haven’t laid a hand on you yet, is because they don’t have enough evidence and that’s only because Vince has been keeping it that way but how long do you think Vince will be able to keep doing this? At least let’s just give Liam’s friend a chance, see what he has to say.”
“That’s just it,” Teague says. “I don’t understand why Vince is suddenly so involved in our lives? Don’t you think that’s a little strange?”
“He’s Sebastian’s friend.”
“He’s Sebastian’s employee.”
“Teague,” I sigh. “You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth, baby.”
Teague drops on the couch with a heavy thud and starts massaging his forehead with his fingertips like he’s driving away a bad headache. I go up to him and start kissing his face. He finally looks at me. “Teague,” I say. “Talk to me.”
It takes him a long time to answer. “Maybe I don’t deserve freedom, Mia. Maybe I deserve to go to prison for what I did.”
“Teague,” I say. “I know the guilt is killing you inside. I know this thing doesn’t let you rest, I’m with you when you’re having those nightmares, baby. But it was a mistake. A bad one but a mistake nonetheless.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then make me understand.”
“When I was in the cage Mia,” he says. “There was a moment…fuck…there was a moment where I…I was enjoying making him bleed. I was…I was enjoying it, Mia. What does that say about me?”
This time it’s my turn to be silent.
“Mia?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you hate me now?”
“No, Teague. I don’t.”
“Then what?”
I take Teague’s hand and can’t help the tears that come next. “If it’s horrible being the person who did this,” I say. “How do you think it feels being the person who loves someone like that?”
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know you are,” I say. “But what’s done is done. We can’t change it. But baby, we can change the future. You getting locked up isn’t going to help anyone! It’s certainly not going to help us, and you can judge me all you want, but I want you to be with me and not be rotting away in some correctional facility!” I pause to wipe the tears. “So Teague, please. I’m begging you. Take Liam’s help. I can’t lose you, I just can’t and I know that’s selfish but please, Teague! Don’t put me through that!”
Teague pulls me close to his chest.
Wherever his mouth lands, he starts kissing away the tears.
“I love you, Mia.” He says and wipes some more tears from my face. “Stop crying, come on. Let’s go impress some people and make sure we stay together, no matter what.”
Let’s Go Live
TEAGUE
“Hello, my name is Theo Jenkins,” Liam’s friend introduces himself. At first I think that maybe Theo and Liam share genes but then I realize it’s not their actual features but their appearance that makes them look so damn similar. For all I know, Theo Jenkins might not have existed until this morning when Liam decided to make a 3-dimensional copy of himself in a slightly dissimilar Armani suit.